No more courses in English in the Netherlands!

In the Netherlands, a new law seeks to limit the number of foreign students…

It has now been voted on and should be published in the coming days, albeit with a grace period: it will only apply to the start of next year’s school year. This law is particularly strict:

Dutch universities not only impose a ceiling on foreign students, but three-quarters of courses up to the bachelor’s degree must be taught in Dutch.

Additionally, the text asks students to at least master Rembrandt’s language before enrolling. Clearly, there is no question of courses being offered entirely in English and students leaving without speaking a word of Dutch.

Can you study in the Netherlands only in English?

This is one of the most surprising consequences of Brexit! Dutch universities were quick to understand that Britain’s exit from the European Union would mean taking a market. They immediately offered quality courses in English.

They took advantage of a loophole in the law as Dutch was the only “default” language of instruction. They were overwhelmed by this inaccuracy. It works! Last year, 122,000 foreigners studied in the Netherlands.

That’s one out of six students! In France, it’s one in ten! So this new law closes this loophole, even if there are some exceptions: music studies, for example: to attract the best, you need to be international and therefore teach in English.

How is this a problem?

First, for a very Dutch reason: lack of housing! This is so severe in the Netherlands that at the last start of the school year, universities are forced to ask their foreign students not to come without permanent accommodation.

Then, upon completing the course in English, these non-Dutch-speaking students go directly home. This is the case for three-quarters of them. However, the Netherlands needs a highly qualified workforce.

Therefore, the idea would be to retain them by integrating them better, i.e. by making sure that they can quickly acquire Dutch. Apparently, universities do not have this idea: they even cry doom!

They would lose income, right?

A one-year study for a bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands costs between 6 and 15,000 euros and a master’s degree can cost up to 20,000 €! But this is not the only argument: this law would undermine the sacred academic freedom of universities that dates back to the Middle Ages!

Finally, there is competition! Especially in countries like Germany or France where courses are almost free or cost very little! We rub our hands together in Berlin and Paris as both countries have between 300 and 350,000 foreign students each.